Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-23

less of Beauty or Endurance-The
American Cob waiting
The turn out ('teamn is beneath and equip
age" above the subject. most characteristic
of an American city or town consists of an
undersized horse. harnessed to spindling,
"side bar" wagon, and driven by self con
fident person, holding, in all probability,
big cigar in his mouth Besides being small,
the steed is commonly waspiSh about the
waist, glove necked and narrow chested.
Moreover, he is apt to have a coarse head and
coarse ears, and it is almost certain that he
cannot he driven fast i'll safety to himself
without wearing more or less varied assort-
ment of "boots' upon his legs. Not seldom
also he carries heavy shoes or toe weights on
| his fore feet, to keep him steady and level in
his gait, and these membranes unfit him
| for a long drive.
HIS GOOD QUALITIES.
| His good points are chiefly powerful mus
| cles, especially i'll his long and vigorous hind
| legs, which give him a capacity for great
| speed over short distance, and as a rule he
| is Intelligent. At first sight he would strike
| anv holseman uuaccrstomed to the breed as
an ugly, misshapen little beast, and this ap-
pearance Is intensified by the overdraw check
which pulls up his head and points his nose
straight outward, thus depriiug his neck of
whatever slight curve it may have had by
nature. Three years ago commission OF
cavalry officers was sent to this country by
the French government TO investigate the
character of our horses perhaps with view
to importation for the use of their army. In
the elaborate report which their officers made
although they spoke very highly of ouI
| Houyhnhnms in general and declared thai
one, a member of the Mamhrino family, wa!
the most beautiful horse they had ever seen
vet they were much impressed 10y the under
sized aud defective animals just described
and they condemned them i'll vigorous terms
These trotting machines, as they may b
called, are the result OF breeding entirely 10
speed, regardless of beauty or of endurance
People in the middle and eastern states, a
least, have almost forgotten that horS
ought TO be round bodied, that his necl
| should be curved, his head small, his ears wei
cut his uostrils full and his chest broad. U
late wears. and within a small circle, the POI
ularity of the cob has done something to IN
prove what might be described as the horse Q
daily life. Il is hardly necessary to say tha
| by cob Is meant, not an animal of any pal
tirular breed but horse of q round chunky
solid pattern, somewhat short in the legs an
neck 1t is n very indefinite term, and col
are of all sizes and of considerable variety
shape The ordinary cob, though not bri
liant, is a very respectable beast, and If mo'
erately well turned and properly curtaile'
he is reckoncd extremely genteeL In En-;
land he has long been a favorite, both Il
saddle and harness. Readers OF Engli'
novels will remember that bishop invarIah
rides upon cob. In some old verses quall
writer enumerates the possessions that
thinks would secure his happiness, Includn
among them, and not without reason,
An Arabic book to read Norfolk cob to ride,
/ house to live in shaded with trees, and near
river side